So if you thought the Tampa game was bad and you missed it, the Rangers put on another one of their performances (?) last night that makes you wonder how bad can a team get and makes you wonder even more if this is in fact a hockey team. I go back to my statement a few posts ago. "Right now, short of a blockbuster trade, this team will miss the playoffs." I may have to amend that to state that it will probably finish last in the East. That should put the 1945 Rangers in a better light.
This was another game where the head of a Ranger was a target for an errant elbow. This one was by Matt Cooke on Artem Anisimov who lost his helmet in the process. Do you believe that Cooke got a two minute interference penalty? Of course you do. Imagine if Avery had committed that penalty. It would have been five minutes, a game misconduct and a meeting with Bettman on Monday morning. Avery did get 17 minutes for going after Fedotenko as the frustration was building for one of the few Rangers playing the game. Speaking of playing, my fellow blogger and friend Scotty Hockey is conducting a poll on the return of Chris Drury and the effect it would have on the team. I don't know the results of the poll but I have a question. Who is Chris Drury?
Not only was the game strange but some of the decisions of the non-participants was also strange. Enver Lisin, dressed, and not getting a minute of ice time. Pitt coach Dan Bylsma putting Malkin and Crosby on the ice with about a minute to go in the game. An official stopping a fight between Brashear and Cooke before it got started. Hey, no fights. This is hockey. Or was it hockey? It was for one team. I hope the other team shows up and plays before its fans tomorrow night. Maybe if the fans are wise, they won't show up.
Sabres fall to Bruins, as skid reaches 13 games
2 hours ago
I was also surprised to see Malkin and Crosby out - although, I wasn't thinking so much about them running it up as much I was thinking "Get them off the ice, someone's gonna take a run at them!"
But then my dad pointed it out - we think they were trying to set up Godard for much of the time on that PP. You could tell they were done trying to score themselves; they wanted to spread the wealth a bit.
I felt bad for the goalie - if Tortorella could have pulled him, he should have.
But other than that, a satisfying win for my Pens.
Cheers,
Brendan
This team is going in the tank. Only ones worth cheering for are Gabby and Avery. The Pens fans have something to cheer about, we're outside looking in again.
The announcers were totally biased or totally unaware of hockey when they whined and dined about the Avery-Fedotenko "fight".
"Feds" here did what, in the shoes of Avery, must have seemed pulling a slew foot on him. He has the right to retaliate cheap shots like that.
Brendan-Was it Godard's birthday?
rush'em-I think they are in over their heads.
Anonymous-Sam biased? Not Sam (good play)!